Book-support



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. D. H. MOPHERSON. BOOK SUPPORT.

No. 477,018. Patented June 14, 1892.

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2. D. H. McPHERSON. BOOK SUPPORT.

Patented June 14, 1892.

W WWWHW' UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

DONALD H. MCPHERSON, OF LE ROY, NElV YORK.

BOOK-3U PPO RT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 477,018, dated June 14,1892.

\ Application filed August 28, 1891- Serial No. 403,996. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DONALD I-I. MOPHERSON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Le Roy, in the county of Genesee and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBook-Supports; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for supporting boks;andthe objects of the invention are, first, to provide a simple, strong,and inexpensive book-support which will keep the leaves of the bookplaced thereon flat no matter where it may be opened; secondly, toprovide abook-support which can be used as a book-stand,resting on thefloor and holding a dictionary or similar book, and also as a supportfor account-books, ledgers, Bibles, &c., on a desk or pulpit, and,finally, to provide a book-support which when not in use can becompactly folded.

WVith these ends in view my invention consists in the combination, withan angular frame adapted to be mounted on a suitable base or standardand provided with a segmental slot in its lower member, of a depend ingbar pivoted at one end to the angular frame near the upper end thereof,a set-screw passing through the slot in the lower member of the angularframe and engaging with said bar, two cross-bars pivotally connected tothe depending bar, vertical bars or links connect ing the ends of saidcross-bars and extending above the same, and supporting arms or platespivotally connected to said vertical arms and resting when open on shortupwardly-extending lugs or projections formed thereon.

My invention further consists in a support or standard composed of aseries of legs each provided with a vertical bar near its upper end, thefaces of said bars be ng grooved longitudinally and having proJectinglugs or ears at both ends, pivots for uniting the adjacent ears or lugson said legs, one-of which pivots is removable, a vertical rod fittedbetween the faces of the vertical bars on the legs, and a set-screwworking through one of the legs and bearing against the rod to hold thesame at any desired elevation.

My invention further consists in the pe euliar construction andarrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described andclaimed.

To enable others to more readily understand myinvention I haveillustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 isa perspective view of a booksupport constructed in accordance with myinvention, one of the carrying-boards being removed. Fig. 2 is a sideview showing my improved support adapted for use on a desk. Fig. 3 is aView showing the position of the parts when the book is closed. Fig. 4is a detail view of one of the legs of my improved support. Fig. 5 is aView of a table formed by my improvements. Fig. 6 is a view of the legsfolded for storing. Fig. 7 is a detail view of one of the book-carryingplates, and Fig. 8 is adetail view of the mechanism for the adjustmentof the inclination of the book-holder.

Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figuresof the drawings, referring to which- A designates the angular frame ofmy improved support, which is provided with a depending stud or pina,secured to or made integral with the lower member of such angularframe and adapted to be fitted on a suitable base or standard, as willbe hereinafter fully described. The lower arm of the angular frame isprovided with a segmental slot at, and the outer end of the upper memberof such frame is slotted or bifurcated fora short distance. In suchslotted portion is pivoted a depending bar B, which is reduced in widthnear its lower end to pass along the side of the lower member of theframe A, and through the slot in said member is passed a thumbscrew 1),which fits in a threaded passage in the depending barB. Said bar B isalso provided with bearing-plates b, which extend on both sides of thevertical bar near the upper and lower ends-thereof.

To the bar B are pivotally connected crossbars 0 D, which contact withor bear against the bearing-plates, and the outer ends of thesecrossbars are pivotally connected to vertical members or links E E,which extend upwardly above the cross-bar D. The members E E are curvedslightly from their point of connection with the crossbar D to theirupper ends, and such members near their upper ends are provided withoutwardly-extending lugsf. On the innercurved faces of the members E'Eare formed stops f for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Near the upper ends of the bars E E are connected by pivots gsupportingarms G, to which are attached by screws or in any othersuitable manner plates G. The plates G are connected by means of strapsg, which are attached to the under side of said plates in rear ofnotches g, formed in the adjacent inner edges of the plates. On theupper surface of the plates G, near one end thereof, are fastened cleatsh to prevent the biok from sliding off. It will be seen by reference toFig. 3 that the back of the book does not extend below the lower edgesof the plates G when the book is closed and that the said plates bearagainst the stops f near their lower ends and are maintained in avertical position.

A book placed on the support has its curved back supported by the strapsg and its sides rest on the plates G. Should the book be opened, so thatthe weight on one side of a central line is greater than the weight onthe other side of said line, the pivoted frame automatically moves andboth exposed pages of the book are kept horizontal. To vary the angle orinclination of the book the thumbscrew b is turned and the depending bar.13

turned on its pivot until the book is in the.

desired position, when the thumb-screw is again turned to hold the partsin their new positions. \Nhen the book is closed, the weight falls onthe strap g and the plates G are forced against the sides of the bookand held in place by the weight of the book.

In Fig. 1 I have shown my improved booksupport mounted on a standard K,which consists of a vertical tube or pipe 710, in the upper end of whichis placed the depending stud or pin a on the angular frame A. The lowerend of the tube or hollow standard It is fitted in a socket Z, formed bylongitudinallygrooved bars Z, attached to the legs L of the stand. Eachleg is provided with a roller or caster m, and to each of said legs issecured or cast integral therewith a short vertical bar 1, the face ofwhich is grooved longitudinally, and said bars are provided at both endswith projecting lugs or ears u a, the lugs or cars 71 being in a planelower than the plane of.

The legs are connected together 1 A setelevation. The tubular standardis passes through a flat board or shelf 0 and a casting 19, secured tothe underside thereof, the lower end of said casting resting on theupper edges of the legs, and thus holding the shelf 0 in position. Thecasting p is preferably made with three sockets p 19 19 one of which paligns with the passage in the shelf 0, through which the tubularstandard 75 extends.

When it is desired to use the book-support on a desk or table, it isdetached or lifted clear of the tubular standard 7r. and the shelf 0also removed from such standard. The shelf is then laid on the desk ortable and the stud or pin a seated in the socket p of the casting p, asshown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

If desired, the end of the tubular standard can be inserted in thesocket 1.73 and a small table thus formed, as shown in Fig. 5.

\Vhen the stand is not in use, the support proper can be detached fromthe tubular standard It, the standard v7t removed from the socket Z, andby removing the locking-rod 0 the legs can be turned on their pivotsinto the position shown in Fig. 6, and the whole packed or stored awayin a small space. V

The advantages of my invention will be readily understood andappreciated from the foregoing description taken in connection with thedrawings.

I am aware that changes in the form and proportion of parts and detailsof construction of the devices herein shown and described as anembodiment of my invention can be made without departing from the spiritor sacrificing the advantages thereof, and I therefore reserve the rightto make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the scope ofmy invention.

I am aware that it is not new to connect carrying-plates adapted toalways lie in the same horizontal plane and having the inner edgesmeeting when opened by straps, and such construction I disclaim.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a book-support, the combination, with a base or support, of anangular frame provided with a depending stud or pin, a depending barattached to said frame, crossbars carried by said depending bar, linksconnecting the ends of said bars, and carryingplates connected to saidlinks, substantially as described.

2. In a book-support, the combination of the angular frame adapted to besecured on a suitable base or standard, a depending bar pivoted at itsupper end to said angular frame, a thumb-screw fitted in a segmentalslot in the lower member of the angular frame and in the depending bar,cross-bars pivotally connected to the depending bar, links connectingsaid cross-bars, and carrying-plates pivotally connected to said links,substantially as described.

3. The combination of the angular frame V w I adapted to be mounted on abase or standard and having a segmental slot formed in its lower side,the depending bar pivotally connected atits upper end to said frame, thebearing-plates carried by said bar, the set-screw for connecting thedepending bar and the lower member of the angular frame, the crossbarspivoted on the depending bar and contacting with the bearing-plates, themembers connecting the outer ends of said cross-bars, and the carryingarms or plates pivotally connected to the upper ends of said members,substantially as described.

4. A support or stand having the inner faces of its legs grooved orrecessed near their upper ends to form a socket for a standard andhaving the ears or lugs projecting on opposite sides and pivotsconnecting adjoining lugs or cars on the legs, one of said pivots beingremovable, whereby the legs can all be turned on the pivots, so as tolie in the same plane, substantially as shown and described.

5. A support or standard having the inner faces of its lugs grooved orrecessed to form a socket and having the projections or lugs on oppositesides thereof, the lugs on opposite sides being in different horizontalplanes,

whereby the lugs on adjacent legs overlap, and pivots connecting suchoverlapping lugs, substantially as shown and described, for the purposespecified.

6. The combination of the angular frame, the depending bar pivotallyconnected to said frame, the thumb-screw fitted in a segmental slot inthe lower memberof the angularframe and in the depending bar, thecross-bars pivoted on said depending bar, the members connecting theouter ends of the cross-bars, said members being curved outward slightlyfrom a point above the upper cross-bar, the proj ecting lug or studs 011said members near the upper ends thereof, the supporting-arms pivotallyconnected to the upper ends of said members, the carrying-plates securedon said supportiiigarms, and the straps connecting said plates,substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DONALD H. MOPHERSON.

Witnesses:

JOHN P. P. LATI-IROP, E. W. PARMELEE.

